I’ve wondered how things were going with [Team RadioShack Nissan Trek][rns] (RNS) for a while now. Forget the lack of results for the team this year. Sure it’s disconcerting given the deep roster of athletes. The real issue seems to be in fighting and doing it publicly.
First during the [Critérium Du Dauphiné][cdd] there were a number of [public exchanges][pub] between [Johan Bruyneel][jb] and [Andy Schleck][as] during the Critérium Du Dauphiné.
Now we have a dust up between [Chris Horner][ch] and the team. It seems that the team is [not taking him][notdf] to the Tour de France. According to the team release he has a back problem. Unfortunately for RNS, Horner is now [on record][onrec] as saying that his back is totally fine and that the team has not even talked to him about it.
Whether Horner has the form or not for the Tour is a totally different subject here. Whether or not the Schleck’s are riding well is also something I’m not concerned about. To me the total lack of professional communication in RNS as a whole speaks to a team in crisis. Yes Brunyeel has lead many a Tour winner, but right now it seems he’s let his team get in to total disarray and he needs to get it back under control. Forget winning races, stop making RNS a soap opera.
With the bouncing around of the Leopard Trek (now RadioShack Nissan Trek after the merge) I’ve got to really wonder what’s going to happen to the team next year. I’d would not be suprised to see it die.
[cdd]: http://www.letour.fr/indexCDD_us.html “Critérium Du Dauphiné”
[jb]: http://www.radioshacknissantrek.com/team/staff/general-manager/johan-bruyneel “RadioShack Nissan Trek – Johan Bruyneel – General Manager”
[notdf]: http://velonews.competitor.com/2012/06/news/horner-to-miss-the-tour-de-france_223276 “Horner to Miss the Tour de France”
[onrec]: http://velonews.competitor.com/2012/06/news/horner-on-tour-selection-snub-my-back-is-fine_223336 “Horner on Tour Selection Snub – My Back is Fine”
[as]: http://www.radioshacknissantrek.com/team/riders/andy-schleck “Andy Schleck – RadioShach Nissan Trek”
[ch]: http://www.radioshacknissantrek.com/team/riders/chris-horner “Chris Horner – RadioShack Nissan Trek”
[pub]: http://velonews.competitor.com/2012/06/news/schlecks-dauphine-time-loss-sounds-radioshacks-alarm_222425 “Schleck’s Dauphiné Time Loss Sounds RadioShack’s Alarm”
[rns]: http://www.radioshacknissantrek.com/ “RadioShack Nissan Trek”